title: Sentinel lymph node radiolocalization and biopsy in oral cavity and oropharynx mucosal squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of the study were to assess our feasibility and accuracy of sentinel lymph node radiolocalization in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx, and to determine whether the pathology of the sentinel node reflected regional disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients preoperatively underwent lymphoscintigraphy after peritumoral injection of a 99m Tc labeled radiocolloid. After perioperative gamma probe radiolocalization of the sentinel lymph nodes, elective neck dissection was performed. The histopathological examination of the sentinel nodes and other nodes of neck dissection specimen were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Detection of sentinel lymph nodes by lymphoscintigraphy was feasible in all 12 patients. Also localization with a handheld gamma probe was successful in all patients. Forty sentinel nodes and 276 non-sentinel nodes were histopathologically examined. Occult metastases were confirmed in 7 sentinel nodes (4 patients). There was no false negative sentinel lymph node in our series.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Identification of the sentinel lymph node in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx is technically feasible and accurate. This method shows to be able to predict occult metastases and select patients who would benefit from neck dissection (Fig. 1, Tab. 2, Ref. 28). Full Text in free PDF www.bmj.sk.
authors.affiliation: University ENT Department, Bratislava, Slovakia. patrikstefanicka@yahoo.com
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stefanicka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Profant
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Duchaj
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valach
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gal
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dolezal
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Barta
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin